Unspeakable Relations
by Caged Sparkle Black
Summary: There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: If interested in reading my disclaimer for this story and summary, click on the link to my profile.

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_**Unspeakable Relations  
**__by Caged Sparkle Black_

**Chapter One**

One moment she was smiling at and having a humorous conversation with one of her closest friends, Ricky, who just so happened to be the father of her nephew, John, and the next moment she heard glass shatter, someone rather loudly growl damn it, and her mother hysterically repeat the word no. Abruptly, she brought her smoky green eyes from Ricky's warm brown. The smile on her face slipped a bit as she saw Grant storming toward her. Ricky followed her gaze then instinctively stepped in front of her to take the brunt of Grant's anger.

Grant had barely got the word you out of his mouth, when Ricky stated in calmly controlled rage. "Grant, this is a very nice wedding reception and we do not want you to ruin that for Mr. and Mrs. Boykewich, now do we?"

Ashley's eyes slightly widened as she realized that most of the guests were now intently observing the proceeding between Grant, Ricky, and herself. In order to distract them, she plastered a joyous smile that she thought must look fake, stepped from behind Ricky, quickly walked the less than a foot distance toward Grant, and placed her right arm threw his stiff left one. The first chords of a slow eighties song started to play.

"Oh, I absolutely love this song." She lied. "Grant dance with me, please? I haven't danced at all today."

"It wasn't because you weren't asked." Grant stated through clenched teeth.

"My feet were sore from these new shoes, but I'm used to them now. Let's dance." She stated. Grant visibly relaxed, but did not take his eyes off of Ricky.

"If you don't want to dance with her, I'm sure that she could find someone more than willing to replace you," Ricky drawled, paused, then added. "As her dancing partner." Ashley rolled her eyes.

"Let's go, Grant. You're causing a scene." Ashley stated. Grant let Ashley led him onto the dance floor, before he took the lead of the dance. Grant subtly led her to the farthest side of the dance floor from Ricky. Ricky grabbed a drink from the tray a waiter was packing passed him before taking a step back. He sipped on the drink and planned to observe the pair, but was interrupted by two someones that chose to stand on each side of him.

"Ricky," Anne started in a strangled hyperventilating tone.

"This isn't the place and you both know that I'm right about it." Ricky interrupted her. "You state the time and I'll be there."

"Tomorrow morning." George stated almost astonished at his grandson's father's maturity, logic, and audacity.

"Okay." Ricky stated before walking off toward the other side of the dance floor to observe more closely. He hadn't ever trusted Grant and after his display of misplaced anger earlier Ricky trusted him even less.

Meanwhile, while Ricky was observing them and attempting to eavesdrop on the tense almost silent conversation going on between the two newly sophomores, Ashley was listening to Grant rant in her ear.

"How could you?" He repeated for the fifth time since they began to slow dance. She stayed silent because she would not explain herself to him. He had no right to be so possessive of her, regardless of whether or not they were a couple and they were on the verge of being not, if he continued to berate her for something that she did not do.

"You're a slut." Grant growled in her ear. Her entire body froze from shock. He did not just call her a slut. "You were eye fucking him. Your parents, who don't notice anything, noticed or did _you_ not notice that your mother was on the verge of a nervous breakdown by just the possibility of what you were doing with him could lead too. I didn't realize that I was dating damage goods. How long exactly have you been fucking him?" He accused before taking a brief pause. "Maybe since before your nephew, his son, was born?"

Uncharacteristically, Ashley stood there and took his verbal lashing. The song was nearing its close and several dancers had already made the move off the floor or to different dancing partners. Ashley barely registered that Grant had released her from the dance and abruptly walked off. She broke out of her trance when she felt a pair of strong comforting arms go around her waist and gently entrapped her vice gripped hand.

"What did he say to you." Ricky whispered in her ear.

"It doesn't matter." She whispered back before half halfheartedly smirking. "I thought you didn't dance."

"I thought you didn't do disco." He retorted as he smiled at her.

"This song is not considered disco." She stated as her mouth quirked up into a true smirk, but her eyes betrayed her to Ricky. Her eyes were dimmed as if her pride or feelings were wounded.

"Even if it were a disco song, you'd still dance with me." Ricky stated as his eyes roamed her face.

"Why would you think that?" She asked playfully.

"Because." He stated in a low tone as he arched his eyebrow at her.

"Because why?" She replied matching his tone. He cleared his throat. She smiled.

"We'll talk about it someday." He promised as he held her gaze.

"But not today." Ashley stated as she rolled her eyes. He smiled.

"Yeah, not today." He confirmed as he twirled her around. She smiled as he caught her from loosing her footing by grabbing her hips. "I think your dad is plotting to torture and murder me." He stated as he took a quick glance toward her parents. Ricky could tell that George was fuming.

"It wouldn't be for the first time." She stated drily.

"No, Ash, he plotted to quickly kill me when he found out that I was John's father, but now he's plotting to slowly murder me."

"Why?" She asked stupidly.

"You know why." He stared pointedly at her.

"Oh." She mouthed.

"Yeah, oh." Ricky parroted jokingly. They were silent for the rest of the song.

"Can we get out of here?" She asked as the song ended and another slow song, All I Need by Jack Wagner, from the eighties began. They silently swayed together for the majority of the song. He hesitated on replying to her question as he was not positive on exactly what she was asking. She added in explanation as if sensing the reason why he was not yet replying. "I've had enough drama for today."

"I think we've both had enough drama for a lifetime." He retorted not just speaking of the drama of the day. She nodded in agreement.

"What can I say? I'm an old soul." She laughed.

"With a young heart." He added. "What is my excuse?"

"Drama finds you." She stated. "You don't search for it."

"At least not anymore." He corrected.

"You've matured." She retorted as she wrapped her arms around his neck resting her wrists against the back of his neck.

"You have that effect on me." He stated huskily before answering her earlier question. "Yeah, we can get out of here."

"I have to say bye to my dad and give well wishes to the King and Queen." Ashley revealed.

"Take your time." He stated as he stepped away from her and walked over to the now sitting and eating Mr. and Mrs. Boykewich.

Ashley walked toward her, stopped at his side, and crossed her arms. Her mother was no where to be seen. "Where's mom?"

"Ladies room." George replied stiffly.

"Okay." She replied in an exasperated tone. "What's wrong, Dad?" She asked.

"We'll talk about it in the morning." He stated gruffly.

"Dad." She sighed. "I wanted to say bye before I left so bye."

"Where are you going?"

"Somewhere." She replied unsure and shrugged. "Probably home."

"You're walking?" He asked almost in a hopeful tone.

"No, I've got a ride." She corrected.

"Who you leaving with?" He asked already knowing the answer.

"Does it matter?" She retorted. He gave her a stern look. "Okay, Ricky's giving me a ride."

"Do I have a reason not to trust you?" He asked seriously.

"No." She stated immediately.

"Keep it that way." He ordered. Ashley couldn't help, but remember that Ricky had told her that same phrase earlier in the evening concerning the same topic.

"Dad, I'm not interested," She began, but stopped when George placed a hand up effectively silencing her protest.

"Don't lie to me, because we both know that you are. We'll talk about it later." He stated in a dismissing tone.

"Bye, Dad." She sighed as she walked away.

"Bye, Ashley, I love you." He replied.

"Love you too." She answered. She walked over to the newlyweds who were sitting, laughing, eating, and talking to Ricky. She gave her congratulations, well wishes, and thanks for the invitation. Ricky again gave his congratulations before both he and Ashley walked away. Ricky's left hand ghosted over the small of her back not exactly touching, but giving the appearance that it was. Betty observed this then looked at her husband questioningly. He shrugged his shoulders as if he did not know the answer, however he did have a clue, one in which he hoped for the Juergens and his son Ben's sake was misplaced.

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**Author's Note**: I thought I'd try my hand at writing in this fandom, because there are so little stories about the enigmatic pairing of Ricky and Ashley. I believe that the chemistry is there, regardless of the fact of whether or not it will happen on the actual show. I would love to read your thoughts, comments, and suggestions. Thank you for reading and possibly reviewing, story alerting, and/or placing it on your favorites.


	2. Chapter 2

******Disclaimer**: If interested in reading my disclaimer for this story and summary, click on the link to my profile.

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**Chapter Two**

They quickly found Ricky's car parked in the mass of guests cars. He unlocked the doors with his electronic key chain then opened the passenger side door. Ashley sat down and smoothed the lines of her dress to give her shaky hands something to do. After a moments hesitation, she reached for the seat belt. but found that it was in his hand. He bent into the car and buckled her. She blushed as his fingers trailed from the seat belt buckle across her mid section. He placed his right hand on the dash and the left on the seat inches from the side of her face.

"You have any particular place in mind, you want to go?" He asked amused as he observed the faint blush on her cheeks, jaw line, and upper neck. He smirked.

"You choose." She stated as she demurely smiled, but she looked at the dimples on his cheek instead of making eye contact like she normally did.

"You might live to regret saying that." He stated playfully as he took his right hand off the dash and under her chin effectively making her look him in the eye.

"I might not." She retorted quietly. Her breath hitched as the grip of his hand on her chin tightened and his face descended toward her own.

She stopped breathing when his mouth was half of an inch away from her own. Her eyes slightly widened. His eyes left hers and followed the angle of her nose down to her full lips. His hand trailed from the underside of her chin to the left side of her jaw. He cupped her left cheek and slightly pulled back only to return to the same distance that he was before pulling back. He returned his hand to the underside of her chin.

He sighed in defeat or surrender. He was not yet sure which one it was. He kissed her jaw an inch from her mouth. She made a movement to turn her head into a kiss, but he slightly tightened the grip of her chin to prevent her from doing so. He moved from the spot where he had kissed her to just beside the right side of her face. He whispered against her hair into her ear."We're going to get burned."

She shivered in response. He pulled away from her, but did not take his eyes off of her until he was seated next to her in the driver seat. They were silent as he drove. She looked out the window watching the scenery. She realized where they were going before they arrived there. She began to slowly fidget her hands in her lap. She picked at her clean unpainted nails. She stopped when he broke the silence as they stopped at a stop light.

"Hey," He spoke just before he grabbed her slightly shaky left hand from her lap. He held her hand firmly effectively stilling the outward tremors, but inwardly she was still shivering. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes." She replied immediately as she thought to herself that she didn't trust herself.

"Stop worrying." He suggested. "We're gonna talk."

"Okay." She replied. The light changed, he started to drive one handed, as he continued to hold her hand.

Neither spoke until the car was parked in his usual parking spot at the side of the building that housed his apartment.

"Ashley." He began hesitant then asked a question. "Are you ready?"

She realized that he was not just asking her whether or not she was ready to get out of the car, but whether or not she was ready to go upstairs to his apartment to talk and possibly more.

"Are you?" She retorted.

"No more games, Ash." He declared then repeated his question. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, but seriously are you?" She answered as she held his gaze.

"I've been waiting on you." He retorted. She looked away and gently extracted her hand from his. He took the key out of the ignition and got out of the car. He opened her door and she quickly stepped out. She smoothed the wrinkles out of her dress just before her right hand was abruptly captured into his left. Her heartbeat sped up. He led her into the building and up the stairs. He unlocked the door to the apartment, turned the door knob, and guided her inside. He let go of her hand and jerked his silver and gray plaid tie off. "Make yourself comfortable."

"Would you like a Coke?" He asked as he made his way to the kitchen. She sat on the sofa.

"No, thank you." She replied.

"Water? Anything?" He asked as he was still in the kitchen.

"No, thank you." She repeated. He came out of the kitchen drinking a bottle of water. He sat beside her inadvertently brushing his knee against hers. Both were silent for several minutes. He stared at the rim of the bottle of water and she stared at him. He broke the silence between them.

"You're parents want to talk to me in the morning." He stated.

"Okay." She replied. "Why?"

"They saw us talking at the reception." He stated.

"I didn't realize talking was a crime." She retorted dryly.

"It isn't." He paused then changed the subject. "You never mentioned what Grant said to you during your dance."

"It doesn't matter." She stated uncomfortable.

"To me it does." He replied. He sat the bottle of water down on to the coffee table. "If he said something to hurt you, because we were talking-"

She interrupted him. "We were eye fucking." She paused and blushed. Ricky arched an eyebrow in both confusion and amusement. "I mean," She paused again then took a deep breath. "Grant said that you and me were eye fucking."

"If I'd known that was what we were doing, I would have made it more worth your while." Ricky stated teasingly. "I thought we were making out."

"Ricky this isn't funny." She declared as tears threatened to fall.

"Hey," He said soothingly. "Don't cry. Ash, what else did he say."

"He called me a slut." She whispered as she wiped away the tears from her cheeks and cursed them from materializing in the first place.

"He fucking didn't." He said outraged then stood. "I'm going to kill him."

"Ricky." She stated as she grabbed his hand in the attempt him from doing what he threatened. "He isn't worth it."

"He called you a sl-sl-slut." He stuttered not being able to clearly say the word where it concerned her. "Of course, he's worth it." He proclaimed, took a deep breath, then continued. "Fine, I won't kill him, but I'll hand him his ass."

"Ricky, for John's sake, don't." She pleaded through her tears. "Grant's not worth it."

"Fine." He relented as he sat down. He took a deep breath, turned on the sofa so that he was facing her. "I'm sorry." He stated then repeated it again as he reached to hug her. One arm was wrapped around her shoulders while the other her lower back. She laid her head on his left shoulder as she softly cried. Abruptly, she attempted to pull away from the embrace, but Ricky held her firmly. She was able to pull her head away from his shoulder and look at him. "What's wrong? He asked as he inwardly winced at the moisture in her eyes and on her cheek.

"Why do my parents want to talk to you in the morning?" She asked. "I know you said that they saw us talking, but we've always talked."

"Ash, they know." He stated slowly.

"There isn't anything to know." She replied smartly.

"Not yet, but we both know that it will." He pointed out.

"I'm not going to sleep with you." She stated vehemently shocking herself, but not him. He slightly smiled at her outspoken statement

"I'm not expecting you to." He stated not messing a beat. "As a matter of fact, ain't I the one that has been telling you _not_ to have sex."

"Because I'm too young." She stated in disbelief as she rolled her eyes at the hypocritcy.

"It isn't even that anymore, Ash." He stated. "You're smart, funny, and beautiful. I respect and care about you." He revealed. Her mouth slightly opened in a bit of shock. She knew that she must have meant _something_ to him, because of what he had told her about him and his situation when he was younger, but for him to actually put it into words shocked her. "You've became my best friend. I don't want to put you in the position of you being in danger of becoming pregnant. Don't get me wrong," His voice crackled in emotion. "I love my son very much, but neither me or Amy were prepared to become parents. I was and still am at times terrified."

"I don't see why you should talk to my parents about us." She stated. "There isn't anything here."

"Ashley, there is something here and you know it." He stated. "Don't deny it because it cheapens it."

"You've already denied it." She stated remembering the argument between him and her dad when Ricky had taken her furniture shopping for her new room.

"I'm not going to anymore and you shouldn't either." He conceded then added. "Just because we've decided not to have sex doesn't take away the fact we care about each other."

She managed to put more distance between her and him when he loosened his grip of the embrace, but was not successful in exiting the embrace entirely. He removed the arm from her lower back, but kept the arm around her shoulders.

"You're presuming that I care." She retorted in the attempt to be aloof of the topic.

"I know that you care." He stated then revealed. "I knew you cared about me when you didn't rat me out when I went skipped town to look for my biological mother."

"I knew I should have squealed." She stated dryly.

"Ash, stop withdrawing from me." He pleaded not understanding the reason why she did. "What do you want?" She was silent. He asked another question. "What's stopping you?"

"I don't know." She answered unconvincingly.

"Don't start lying to me." He demanded. "Is it your parents? Amy? John?" He

"My family's opinion of me matters, but not to the point where I would let it ultimately control me." She confessed.

"Then what is it?" He asked genuinely confused.

"Um." She began to speak, but then decided against it.

"Um, what?" He urged her to continue.

"Sex." She stated clearly.

"Ah," He said in realization. "I thought we went over this."

"Ricky, I can't and won't ask you to start a relationship with me, when I won't put out. It's unfair to you." She stated shocking herself by putting her thoughts into words and him by even thinking the statement.

"Let me be the judge of what's fair and not." He stated then continued. "I appreciate honesty. I've always been honest with the girls I've been with." He paused in realization. "You don't think I'll be faithful to you, do you?" He accused although he did not want to believe it of her.

"Ricky, I know that you'd be, that's not the problem." She answered looking him in the eye.

"I think it is the problem." He retorted. "You know I'd be faithful to you and that scares you. Doesn't it?"

"This whole thing scares me." She confessed as she looked away and refused to met his gaze.

"Why?" He asked concerned

"Because I'm scared that I won't be good enough." She revealed embarrassed and almost ashamed.

"If anyone isn't good enough, it's me." He retorted then sighed. "If this scares you so much, we won't talk about it anymore and will let it progress as it is."

"You must think I'm a naive little child acting this way." She stated.

"No, I think you've shown more maturity than many I know. You've learned from others mistakes and have incorporated those lessons in your every day life. You know what you want and what you don't. You don't compromise yourself or your morals to get or not to get whatever it that is."

"I've learned so much from everyone else's mistakes that I've not been able to make my own." She stated regretfully. "I want you, but I can't have you."

"Ashley," He sighed. "There isn't anything stopping you from having me. Will there be obstacles? Hell yes. You're family will be the number one. Sex won't be an obstacle unless you make it one. I have no problem waiting. Sex hasn't been a factor in our friendship and it won't be the most important in our relationship."

"But will it be a true relationship without sex?" She pondered.

"I've never had one without it." He stated truthfully then added capturing her gaze momentarily before she looked away again. "But that doesn't mean that it is not possible. With you it will be because I trust, respect, and care about you. I'm attracted to you, but sex won't be make or break. If it makes you anymore comfortable, look at it this way, we can always reevaluate the sex issue at a latter date, okay."

"Okay." She replied almost shell shocked at his response. She brought her left hand to his right jaw and caressed it. Her green eyes met his brown then gasped at the emotion within his. Her mouth slightly parted. She leaned toward him then paused as if second guessing herself. She lightly bit her bottom lip. He watched her. She slowly leaned toward him again and found that he had also.

At first their lips gingerly met in an almost butterfly kiss as they softly caressed each other's jaw. She quietly moaned. He angled her mouth to deepen the kiss. His tongue touched her bottom lip where she had bitten it just as he took the plump lip in his mouth and gently sucked on it. She gasped and wrapped her arms around his neck. She touched her tongue to his upper lip. He groaned and let go of her bottom lip. He lightly bit her probing tongue before taking it into his mouth and controlling the kiss. She melted against him and relinquished control. She followed his lead. Whatever he did to her mouth, she experimentally did it back to him. His hands found her hips. Softly he squeezed them then more firmly repeatedly alternating his grip. She gasped as one hand trailed from her hips at her waist up to the underside of her left breast. His mouth left hers and trailed open mouthed kisses down her neck which she arched her neck for better access, he then trailed back up to her mouth. She moaned approvingly. She'd made out with Grant a few times, but nothing had been this intense physically or emotionally. The pent up frustration, confusion, want, and need were expelling from them. They couldn't stop, but they both knew that they would have to, because had they not just had the discussion of no sex in their relationship.

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**Author's Note**: Thank you all to those who read this and the previous chapter. Also, thank you to _Rashley Shipper_, _bengalcatz729_, and _soren919_ for reviewing. I appreciate your thoughts and comments regardless of whether or not they perfectly match mine, because I do not expect them to. :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**: If interested in reading my disclaimer for this story and summary, click on the link to my profile.

_**Unspeakable Relations**_

Summary: "There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable."

**Chapter Three**

Ashley made a noise low in her throat and squirmed under Ricky yet their bodies barely touched as they continued to kiss. Her arms were wrapped around his back under the suit jacket as her fingertips caressed. His hands rested on the arm rest of the sofa on either side of her head, one of them, the left wrapped into a tight fist in her hair.

She untucked both the white button up collared shirt and under shirt from his gray slacks. Her fingers trailed up and down his back. He groaned appreciatively. She gasped as his right hand roughly grabbed the back of her left thigh, placed, and held it at his hip. He settled most of his weight on her. She moaned. She wrapped her right leg around his hip and tightened the left one already there. He trailed kisses down her neck. He settled at her collar bone as he kissed, nipped, licked, and sucked. She shivered and moaned his name. He stilled his movements. He took a deep breath and pulled away.

"Ash," He started to apologize, but she interrupted him.

"Don't Ricky." She demanded. She sat up and pulled the skirt of her dress down from her hips where it had been bunched up. She smoothed the lined wrinkles out of it. "Don't apologize or say that you regret it, because I don't."

"Did you eat at the reception?" He asked abruptly.

"Not really, why?" She responded as she stared at him confused at the abrupt and random change of subject.

"Let's go to the Dairy Shack." He stated as his eyes gave her a once over then winced.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Here." He said as he took off the suit jacket and handed it to her.

"What?" She asked. He lightly touched her collar bone. She looked down and noticed that a hickey had quickly formed. She pursed her lips as she took the jacket and shrugged it on. As they were walking out the door, Ricky grabbed her hand and they walked hand in hand to his car. Neither saw or felt the death glare directed toward them from a car parked in the parking lot across the street.

"Can we stop at my house first?" She asked as he opened the car door for her. "I don't have my wallet."

"Don't worry about it, it's on me." Ricky assured. "But if you want to stop by your house on the way there, it's fine with me."

"No, it's okay." She smiled. There was a comfortable silence between them as he drove until she broke that silence. "So I can be on the same page tomorrow, what are you going to tell my parents, because most likely my dad will want to speak with you alone."

"The truth." He replied.

"Which truth?" She pondered. "There are different type of truths."

"Ashley," He stated amused at the irony. "The true truth. That we care about each other and see where it's going to lead."

"We both know that my dad will bring up sex." Ashley stated.

"Yes." He agreed.

"What will you tell him?" Ashley bluntly asked.

"It's nonexistent." He replied.

"When he doesn't believe you? What will you do?" She asked concerned that he would lose control like he had when her dad and Amy confronted him when he and she had returned from furniture shopping.

"We'll see when it happens." Ricky stated as he clenched his jaw. He was not looking forward to that part of the discussion, because he knew that no matter what he said, George or anyone for that matter, would not believe him. "So while George is talking to me, Anne will be interrogating you." He paused as he glanced in her direction and raised an eyebrow in interest before he turned his attention back to the road. "What are you gonna say?"

"That it's none of her business." She stated in a standoffish tone..

"Ashley." He stated in disbelief. "You have to tell her something."

"I'll talk to my dad and you can talk to her" Ashley declared. "She likes you more than me."

"Ashley." He sighed. "That's not going to work and you know it. George will want to tear into me."

"He will." She agreed then sighed in almost surrender. "My mom upsets me."

"I know." Ricky stated as he turned into the parking lot of the Dairy Shack. "She upsets me too sometimes, but she's still your mother. She loves you and would do anything to protect you."

Ashley sighed in agreement and rolled her eyes. "You're right."

"I usually am." Ricky boasted arrogantly. She rolled her eyes again and looked in the side view mirror and flinched.

"Let's go somewhere else." Ashley abruptly suggested as she tapped her left fingers on her left thigh as she continued to look in the side view mirror.

"Why?" Ricky asked suspicious of her abruptness.

"My dad just turned into the parking lot."

"I know.." Ricky revealed then added with a dry chuckle. "He's been following us."

"How long?" Ashley asked pissed off.

"I don't know how long he's been following us." Ricky answered as he pulled into a parking space.

"No," Ashley stated, unbuckled the seat belt, and turned her body so that her back was to the door. She asked how long have you known he was following us."

"I noticed two stop lights ago. He made it really obvious. He stopped about three car lengths behind us." Ricky answered unconcerned that George had followed them. He paused then pleaded. "Please, Ashley, don't do it."

"Don't do what?" Ashley replied sweetly. Ashley did not do sweet. Ricky swallowed.

"Whatever you're thinking. Please don't do it. Whatever it is, it won't be good. Don't make a scene, George is walking this way. I"m going to get out of the car. Don't get out until I open your door." Ricky stated.

"Whatever." Ashley replied. Ricky did as he told her. She stepped out of the car as soon as he opened her door. George sped his pace up and got to them as the passenger side door was closed.

"Hello, Mr. Juergens." Ricky greeted with a smile in the attempt to mollify him, but only added to George's irritation.

"Why aren't you answering your phone? What the hell are you doing with him?" George glared at Ashley. "With his jacket on for heaven's sake!"

"Dad, I left my phone at home and this is not the time or place for this discussion. I thought we were going to talk about this in the morning at home." Ashley retorted.

"Mr. Juergens, Ashley and Grant had a misunderstanding," Ricky interjected as his jaw clenched at the understatement. "At Mr. and Mrs. Boykevich's reception. She didn't get to eat so I've brought her here." Ricky paused then stated. "Would you like to join us?"

Both Ashley and George shot him looks of disbelief. Ashley's mouth gaped open in shock.

"As a matter of fact, I would." George replied jubilant at the possibility of playing chaperone. Ashley groaned. George continued. "I haven't had me some Dairy Shack for a while."

"We had it the other night." Ashley corrected dryly before she walked towards the entrance of the restaurant leaving both Ricky and George standing.

"So, Ricky, have you tried their new flavored shake?" George asked conversationally as they began to walk toward the entrance to catch up with Ashley. Ricky shook his head no and in tiny disbelief that George was ignoring the bright pink, yellow, purple, _and _lime green elephant between them. He inwardly sighed and decided that he would be mentally prepared for tomorrow morning's conversation, because he knew that George would no longer (or Anne and Amy) would ignore the elephant that was his relationship with Ashley, the aunt of John, his son.

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**Author's Note**: I want to thank everyone for their wonderful reviews and ask that you continue to let me know what you thought of each chapter. I appreciate all of the feedback very much. I love reading your thoughts, reactions, and suggestions.


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